Coupling device or clasp.



C. A. GIPFORD. COUPLING DEVICE OR CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 10, 1911.

1,024,566. 7 Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

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ATTORNEYS CHARLES A. G-IFFORD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

COUPLING DEVICE 0R CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Applicationfiled April 10, 1911. Serial No. 620,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Grrronn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling Devices orClasps; and I do hereby declare the two separable parts or devices; and,the in-; vention has reference, more particularly, to a simple, strong,cheap, and efiioient con struction of holding device which may beapplied to various uses.

ject to provide a novel construction of holding device of very fewparts, the device being simple in its operation, being strong anddurable, and of very efficient holding power, and the device beingfurthermore adapted to be applied to many types of couplings, catches,and the like, to serve many purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a holding deviceof the character herein-above set forth, which operates in connecting ordisconnecting the same in or from its holding relation without the useof manually manipulated means or manipulation, other than the merepressing together or pulling apart of the parts desired to be heldtogether.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated will be clearly evident from the following detaileddescription "of the same.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the saidinvention consists, primarily, in the novel holding device hereinaftermore fully set forth; and, the said invention consists, furthermore, inthe novel arrangements and combinations of the various parts comprisingthe said holding device, all of which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim whichis appended to and which forms an essential part of the specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view of a holding device made according to andembodying the principles of my present invention, the same being shownin its separated or disconnected condition. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsect-ion of the same, illustrating its action as the separated parts arecaused to assume their joined or holding relation, one with the other;Fig. 8 is a similar sectional representation of the coupling, showingthe parts thereof in their completely joined or holding relation, onewith the other; and Fig. 4- is a vertical section of the same, saidsection being taken on line i4t in said Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view ofa slightly modified construction of holding device embodying theprinciples of the present invention, the parts thereof being shown intheir separated or disconnected relation; and Fig. 6 is a The inventionhas for its principal obhorizontal section of the same with its parts intheir joined or holding relation one with the other.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the herein abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the'said drawings, the reference-character 1 indicatesthe complete holding device made according to and embodying theprinciples of the present invention, said device comprising a pair ofhollow body-portions 2, open at one end. The side-walls 3 of said hollowbody-portions 2 are formed with inwardly inclined portions 4 extendinginwardly from the open ends of said hollow body-portions,

said inclined portions 4 terminating within" the said hollowbody-portions 2, the same lying, normally, midway between saidoppositely disposed or facing ribs or nosings 5 termed in the side-walls3 of said hollow body-portions. lhe said holding devices, as thusconstructed and arranged, are adapted to be used in pairs, operatingconjointly one with another. The said hollow bodyportions may beintegrally formed with the parts or things desired to be temporarilyconnected together by said holding devices; or. the same may be arrangedto be attached to said parts or things in any other desirable manner,will be clearly evident.

The manner of operating a pair of said holding devices, so as to causethe same to perform their holding or connecting functions as follows:The said body-portions 2 are placed with their open ends facing eachother, and the loek-bar 8 of one bodyportion is caused to pass theloclebar ot the opposite body-portion and enter the open end thereof.The said body-portion; 2 being thus moved toward each other, therespective lock-bars 8 move into engagement with one side-wall and therespec'tivr spring-like arm 7 of the oppositely placed body-portions 2,so as to cause the said lockbars to pass over one o'l said ribs ornosings 5. The space between the ribs or nosings 5 and the spring-likearms 7 being less than the diameter of said lock-bars 8, the saidspring-like arms 7 are caused to yield to the passage of said lock-barsS, in the manner shown in Fig. 2 ot the accompanying drawings. When,iowever, the said lock-bars 8 pass the said ribs or nosings 5, theyspring behind the same, and said spring-like arms 7 resume their normal.initial form, thereby tending to press and maintain the said lOCli-32t1SE3 in their holding engagement with the respective ribs or nosings Atthe same time, the open ends of the said body-portions 2 are at thatmovement caused to abut or register with each other, in the manner shownin Fig. of the drawi gs, whereupon the holding devices are caused toperform their holding function. The purpose of providing ribs or nosingsupon each side of the said body-portions 2 is to accommodate saidlock-bars 8 in looking position, no matter which side of the oppositespring-like arn 7 the lock-bar passes and engages with when the same arepressed together. It will also be evident, that there are no leit'ts orrights as to the construction of the separable locking devices, but thatall the en gaging parts are constructed alike and may be caused tocontact with any other simi larly constructed fellow device. Of course,it it is so desired, the holding devices can be made so as to provideleft and right body-portions 2, with but a single nosing. as will beclearly understood, therefore, l

do not wish. to be understood as limiting my invention to the generalform and type shown in the accompanying drawings.

tet'erring now to Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings, I haveshown therein a slightly modified form ot holding device which, however,still embodies and is made according to the general principles of thepresent invention. in this construction, ll provide a pair of hollowbody-portions 9, preferably of tubular conformation, and open at oneend. The walls 01 said bodyportion 9 are termed to provide inwardlyn'rjccting annular ribs or nosings 10, lo cated at convenient and properdistances from the open ends of said body-portions. The closed ends ofthe body-portions 9 may be provided with eyelet-like or ring-shapedportions 11, it so desired, for the attachment oi said holding devicesto the parts or things desired. to be joined together; 1', any othersuitable means for such purpose may be provided. Secured within theclosed end of each body-portion 9 is centrally disposed and outwardlyextending spring-like shank or arm 12 which projects beyond the saidopen end of the body-portion, and secured, in any suitable manner,to thefree end of said spring-like shank or arm 12 is a lock-piece 13, thesame being preferably made in the shape of a sphere or ball, as shown,but which can be made in other shape, such. as a disk or cone, or thelike, it so desired. The manner of use and operation of this modifiedconstruction of locking device is substantially the same in everyparticular, as is above described in connection with the mainconstruction. of locking device.

It will be clearly evident, that my present invention provides anexceedingly simple, cheap and efiicient. holding device, the same beingmade of very few parts, little disposed to be injured or broken, or tobecome disarranged, thus providing a device which requires no especialmanipulation to connect or disconnect the parts thereof, other than themere pushing together or pulling apart of the separable parts thereof.

1 am aware that changes may be made in the various arrangements andcombinations of the several parts. as well as in the details of theconstruction of the same, with out departing from the scope of mypresent invention, as set forth in the foregoing specification, and asdefined in the claims appended. thereto. Hence, I do not limit myinvention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the parts asherein de scribed in the said specification nor do I confine myself tothe exact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

1 claim l. A holding device or catch comprising separable hollowbody-portions open at one end, a spring-like arm within each hollowbody-portion, each spring-like arm having a portion projecting beyondthe open end of the hollow body-portion in which it is arranged, aretaining nosing within the interior of each body-portion, and meansupon the projecting end-portion of said spring like arms adapted to bebrought into holding engagement with the said retaining nosings when thesaid hollow body-portions are caused to assume their interconnected orholding relations, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A holding device or catch comprising separable hollow body-portionsopen at one end, a centrally disposed longitudinally extendingspring-like arm secured within the interior of each body-portion andprojecting beyond the open end thereof, a rib or nosing within theinterior of each hollow body-portion, and a lock-piece or bar connectedwith the free end of each spring-like arm, said lock-pieces or barsengaging said ribs or nosings of the opposed body-portions, and saidlock-pieces or bars being maintained in such engagement by theirrespectively opposite spring-like arms, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth. In testimony, that I claim the invention set forthabove I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of April, 1911.

CHARLES A. GIFFORD. Witnesses:

WM. C. PRICE, P. L. DRUM.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. I

